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LibreDigital Brings Book "Mashups" to Publishing World

It used to be that you had to be a living legend or a deceased author before an anthology of your work could be assembled. In addition, it used to be that a first edition copy was a rare and coveted find. Well, thanks to Web 2.0, the rules of publishing are being rewritten.

LibreDigital, a Division of NewsStand, Inc., which provides an integrated, dynamic digital publishing solutions to book publishers worldwide, recently announced the launch of eCompile Service, a technology enhancement that allows publishers to provide consumers with book “mashups” - customized books made from content compiled from different book titles in publisher portfolios.

Why is this useful? Well, for one eCompile allows publishers to “instantly re-compile and re-purpose their content so readers can order a single book with content from multiple titles, while allowing publishers to protect copyrights.”

Secondly, it lets publishers repackage their works based upon individual interests. It has the power to make everything one-of-a-kind or a la carte.

Already used by some of the world’s top publishers, including Bloomsbury, HarperCollins and Hachette, publishers who are using the new eCompile service can plan to offer consumers an easy way to custom-order, assemble and print content from “some of the most respected books, college textbooks and professional directories on the market.”

LibreDigital has been working to help book publishers captivate readers across new print, online and mobile platforms, including the iPhone. With applications like their Digital Rights Management (DRM), rights and permissions are able to be customized, making LibreDigital a popular tool for content display and re-purposing.

As well, DRM enables users to secure and control content distribution. These features are critical to writers and publishers alike, as they allow them to control access to their content on a customized, partner-by-partner basis.

Web 2.0 certainly does seem to be revolutionizing the way books are published and subsequently affects the ways in which they are read. For more information on LibreDigital, see their website.